Fierce Storm Forced the Cancellation of Thousands of Flights in U.S.

On Tuesday a huge winter storm accompanied by freezing rain, sleet and snow affected a third of the U.S. population and forced the cancellation of more than about 6,000 flights around the country.

This afternoon about 6,000 flights were canceled, which represents 20% of the traffic. Chicago O’Hare, the world’s busiest airport, canceled about 1,300 flights, while in that city’s secondary airport, Midway, suspended another 100.

900 flights were canceled in Dallas (Texas), 650 at Newark (New Jersey) and nearly 1,100 in La Guardia and JFK airports in New York City.

The strong winds and freezing rain turned roads in fatal tracks, toppled trees and utility poles. Forecasters warned of dangerously low temperatures, heavy snowfall that would eliminate all visibility and massive accumulations of snow it has been said that in some places will come to 1.8 to 2.4 meters thick.

In more than half of the 50 states warnings for blizzards, snowstorms and freezing rain were issued. The alerts came from North Dakota (extreme north-central) and Colorado (center) to New Mexico (southern end), then throughout Texas (south end), Kansas and Missouri (south) to reach the region Great Lakes on the Canadian border, and also from Pennsylvania (northeast) to New England (northeast corner).

Even formation of tornadoes and thunderstorms in the south of the country were forecast.

In Chicago (Illinois, North), the weather service said that “a dangerous winter and multifaceted storm was threatening human life” because its strong winds and heavy snow, and it would be “impossible” to travel. The office gave residents an ominous warning: “Do not travel!”

Temperatures will fall between -34 and -45 degrees Celsius in Illinois, Oklahoma, Indiana, and Missouri.

Source: AFP